Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-10-04
DARING RIDERS.


chlef friday. here we saw man.
I curious scenes and learned much o
Indian life. One day Friday said t.
me he would like to show off his youny
men and let me see how well the,
could ride. At first ] expected SOM
treachery, as the whole herd ofponie
was still in the hands OF the troops
The old chief, however, was SO earnes
and apparently honest about it,
told the captain who had the herd II
charge he might let Friday have fifty
ponies for his young men. In about
an hour they drew up before the tent
in war-paint and feathers, and were
as fine looking set of young fellows
as ] had ever seen. Hardly one but
was six feet in height and beautifully
proportloned. They sat their horses
like centaurs and were ease and
grace itself in the saddle. At sig
nal from the chief they began their
movements with a yell that sent the
blood curdling to, the heart, and was
enough, if heard unawares or in the
night time, to moke ones hair stand
on end. In moment they had dis
appeared over neighboring hill to
the right, and | thought they had
gone, but, hearing mighty trampling
OF horses, | looked to the left and
there they came. | can compare it
to nothing but the wind, and they
swept by SO compact that they looked
like ball of horses and men.
Splitting in two, one body swept
to the right and another to the left,
and again disappeared. In about
TWO minutes the two bodies charged
each other in solid lines, and | waited
almost breathlessly for the shock, but
as the horses heads almost touched
each other, the files skilfully opened
to the right and left, and the lines
passed through the intervals without
touching. Wheeling to the right
about they passed back in an instant,
and again disappeared over the hills.
1t was about fifteen minutes before
they came in sight, and Friday in
formed me they were blowing their
horses. Presently on they came and
wheeled by tours, formed columns,
broke by fours, and finally deployed
as skirmishers. 1t was now we saw
the finest individual horsemanship.
Some would approach lying so close
to the pony's back nothing but the
horse could be seen. Others stood
up and rode as circus men do. Some
would hang with one foot and one
hand on the horses and sweep by,
their bodies completely protected by
the bodies of tho animals. Some
leaped upon the ground holding to
the name of the horse, and after run
ning a step or two, would swing them
selves upon the backs of the horses
as easily as any circus man could do
1t. Tho positions they assumed and
the feats of craftsmanship which they
performed were incredible, and
doubt il anything outside of circus
tent ever equaled it. They would
throw objects on the ground and pick
them up again while passing at full
speed, the warriors hanging to the
sides of the horses with one foot and
ono hand. They drew bows and shot
arrows from underneath the necks
and even the bellies of their horses
while riding at fast gallop.
Our cavalry could not learn to ride
as well as those Indians did, if each
man was trained for twenty wears.
they exchanged horses while riding
and get behind each other. One man
would fall off his horse as il wounded,
and two others would ride up beside
him and, taking him by an arm and
leg, swing him between their horses
and carry him off. The exhibition,
or drill, as Friday called it, lasted
nearly two hours, and the men and
horses were completely exhausted
had never seen such magnificent feats
OF horsemanship in my life, and |
freely said SO. At this Friday was
much pleased, and, calling up the
young men, repeated to them in
loud voice what | had said, and added
few words of his own, compliment
ing them.
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The following sentiment is going